The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of plum tree, designated varietally as the "Broken Heart", and more particularly to a plum tree which bears fruit ripe for harvesting from approximately August 6 through August 16 at Visalia, Calif. and which is most closely related to the Elephant Heart Plum Tree (unpatented) from which it is a single scaffold mutation, but from which it is distinguished by producing a plum having a greenish-yellow external coloration and a pronounced reddish colored suture line, and by its unique and attractive yellowish-orange flesh which has red striations which radiate from the pit cavity outwardly towards the skin surface of the fruit.
For many years, the inventor has been engaged in farming at his fruit orchard at 31827 Road 148, Visalia, Calif. In early 1960, the inventor planted approximately eight acres of Elephant Heart Plum Trees (unpatented). During routine orchard operations in the fall of 1978, the inventor observed in a cultivated area one of the Elephant Heart Plum Trees having a limb that bore a greenish-yellow fruit. The limb was marked and thereafter observed during successive years. When the unique qualities of the subject variety were recognized, the applicant asexually reproduced the new variety by removing bud wood from the single scaffold mutation and budding both peach and Marianna plum rootstock. This first asexual reproduction was accomplished in the spring of 1979. The newly budded trees produced their first fruit in 1982. The budded test trees have subsequently been observed for the years 1983, 1984 and 1985 and it has been determined that the newly budded trees dependably and accurately reproduced fruit of superior characteristics observed by the inventor in the original scaffold mutation.
The instant variety is distinguishable from the Elephant Heart Plum (unpatented) by its greenish-yellow skin color and its quite attractive yellowish-orange flesh which has red striations throughout, which extend radially from the pit cavity outwardly toward the skin, and by its excellent eating qualities.